Ventricular assist devices (VAD) are gaining increased popularity for use in patients with left, right or bi-ventricular failure. Standard techniques require insertion of a cannula for drainage of the atrium or ventricle with insertion of a second cannula for re-infusion of blood into the aorta or pulmonary artery. This requires two cannulae for a single ventricular assist device and four cannulae for a bi-ventricular assist device. Physicians who have worked with ventricular assist device systems understand the space constraints and the potential kinking or twisting of these cannulae in the chest or at the skin insertion site. In addition, the theory is that the greater number of cannulae that are exteriorized, the greater the chance of transcutaneous contamination and infection.